English for 1º A

Welcome students! This will be our online meeting point. Here you will find activities and resources for your English class. I hope you take an active part so that we can share opinions and experiences. Enjoy the blog!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

My dear old students,How are you doing? I have received some messages and comments asking me to update this blog. I know you have new teachers now. I also know they have created a blog similar to this one for you to learn many new things. That's the reason why I hadn't written anything before. It doesn't mean I had forgotten you. It will never happen. I still think of you . . . and I miss you.

Monday, June 23, 2008

I would like to thank you for many things. Thanks a lot for the tender gifts you gave me today. I will always keep them with me and they will make me think of the marvellous students I had in 1ºA in San José. Thanks a lot for your attention in class, for your desire to learn new things, for your smiles and laughs.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

I would like to finish the school year posting a song and a video. I have chosen "The Reason" by Hoobastank because parts of the lyrics show my feelings for you. You are the reason why I made this blog and most important of all, you are one of the reasons why I like teaching and I enjoy my job.My intention was for you to realize how many things you can have access to through languages. I hope you have learned English, I hope you use it in the future, and I really hope you remember this class. You meant much to me. I will remember you. And I will miss you.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

We have finished up the second reader of the year (Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving). At the end of the second story we learn that "only Brom knows the true story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. It is Brom's secret". However, the narrator is not completely right, because the students in this class also know the true story of Sleepy Hollow. Here you can read different versions of what really happened. Which is your favourite one?

The true story of Ichabod was this: Brom tells the Headless Horseman that Ichabod wanted to remove his head and that he should kill him to prevent it. The Headless Horseman believed Brom and he tried to kill Ichabod, but he didn't do it because Ichabod ran away. The old woman knew the truth and she told Ichabod that he shouldn't go to Sleepy Hollow or he would die.

By Ana Gutiérrez Osuna

The true story is this: When Ichabod was galloping, escaping from the Headless Horseman, the headless horseman was Brom! Ichabod didn't know that, so Brom threw a pumpkin and Ichabod fell on the ground and Gunpowder galloped away. When he woke up, he saw a broken pumpkin. He thought that the horseman was Brom and the horse was Daredevil. On the pumpkin was a note. The note says: "Poor loser. I'm going to marry Katrina!". He went to New York to win Katrina. You know the other things now.

By Lucas Giráldez Torres

Years later Brom disapperas one night and Katrina doesn't know where he is. The next morning Brom was in Sleepy Hollow but one boy disappears. The next day Ichabod and the boy were in Sleepy Hollow and they talk about the story and Brom confessed that he was the Headless Horseman and the police arrested him and Ichabod marries Katrina.

By Jesús Martínez Mestre

At the end Brom disguised like Headless Horseman to marry Katrina. The pumpkin was the head of the ghost and Ichabod went to New York to prevent the wedding. Brom and Katrina lived happy and Ichabod went back to Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod didn't say anything and the citizens told the tourists the legend of Sleepy Hollow.

By Lorena López Gómez

Brom knows the true story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. One day he goes to the church to tell the priest his sins but he goes to the church with the face covered. He says to the priest: "I'm the Headless Horseman and I kill many people when I'm angry with them. I killed Ichabod and he is under the tree when he sings with Katrina. You mustn't tell the people the true story. I'm very repentant. Tell the people: "The Headless Horseman finished his mission and he won't return". But never say that the Headless Horseman isn't a ghost". And the priest, who is very scared, says: "If the people ask me how I know, what do I say?" "Say what you prefer, but be careful with what you do. I keep watching you".

From these days Sleepy Hollow is a very happy and funny town.

By Celia Rodríguez Ruiz

At the end Ichabod comes to Sleepy Hollow and he is very happy because Brom dies and he marries Katrina.

By Jaime Casado Sánchez

The story starts when Ichabod was galloping and he escaped from the Headless Horseman; the Headless Horseman was Brom. Some years later Brom disappears at night, and after some days, Ichabod and this boy were in Sleepy Hollow. If you want to know the end of this story, you must read this fantastic and very mysterious book: The Legend of Sleppy Hollow.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

These are the lyrics to the activity I posted on May 7 (The Directions Rap). Read them as you listen to the song again and pay attention to the mistakes you made. The places in town are typed in green. All your answers were quite good. Congratulations!

Please can you help me?I can't find the swimming poolTurn left at the libraryThen it's next to the school.

The choreography that Cayetano, Paula María, Sergio, Sara, Celia, Anabel, Carmen and Mª Cruz are preparing for Music class is Summer Nights from the movie titled Grease. Here you can see a video with the lyrics and another video which is in fact a karaoke for you to sing. I hope it will help you!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Here you are a video with lyrics of the song Aitor, Lucas, Maite and Jennifer have chosen for their choreography for music class. As you know, they'll sing and dance. I hope this will help them with their pronunciation. I'm sure they'll do a good job!

After working on foodstuff and the food pyramid, you should know how to plan a healthy menu. Here you have the opportunity to visit several online menus from real pubs and restaurants in England, Canada and the Unites Sates.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Here you are some reports on Rip Van Winkle, one of the two stories in your second reader (Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving). Please take your time and read them because they are very good.

There are two stories in the book. The name of the story is Rip Van Winkle. The genre of the book is legend. The story takes place in the Catskill Mountains in 1765. The story is about a man who lives with his wife. His name is Rip Van Winkle. Rip went to the Catskill Mountains and he found an old person. He played ninepins with him and he drank alcohol. When he woke up he went to the town. When he arrived all was different. He found his daughter and he lived with her.

The characters are Rip, his wife and their daughter. Rip is poor, thin and tall. His wife is fat and she is always angry. They are family.

The book is easy to read and it explains the difficult words (harsh, crowd, navigator).

I like the book because it is interesting and when you begin to read, you can’t stop. I like Rip because he is a good person. I don’t like his wife because she is ugly and fool on herself.

By Lucas Giráldez Torres

In the book there are two stories. The name of this story is Rip Van Winkle. The genre of this book is legend. This story happens in New York in 1765. The story is about a man. He plays with the children and makes things for them. His name is Rip Van Winkle. Rip has a wife, she is very harsh and he goes to the village inn. It is called King George the Third. He finds a man on the way. And he helps the man. The next morning he cannot find the man. He finds men with very old clothes. He goes on to the Union Hotel and he sees a lot of people. The people think he is a spy. Finally he goes to live with her daughter and he lives very happy.

In the story there are a lot of characters. These are some of them: Rip Van Winkle (he is a good person and he likes travelling), and old man (he is very old and he has a white beard), Judith Garnier (she is a good person). Rip Van Winkle finds the old men and he is Judith Garnier’s father.

The language is very easy but I have learnt some new words, for example: Dutch, nag, innkeeper, toward, scare, Congress, Democrat, crowd.

I like the book because it is not boring. I like Rip Van Winkle because he is a main character. I like all characters!

By Jesús Martínez Mestre

Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has got two stories and it is a novel. The story takes place in New York, in the British colony. Rip Van Winkle is a simple kind man. He doesn’t like working, he only does the things he likes. He plays with the children and makes things for them. Rip is a poor person. His wife is a bad, poor person. They live in the village. King George the Third is the British king. Nicholas Vedder is the innkeeper. The man is an old person.

The book is written very well and it gives a lot of information. Some new words for me were: Dutch, nag, dirty. The book is very interesting. Rip is my favourite character because he is friendly and I don’t like his wife because she is a bad person.

By Lorena López Gómez

I am going to talk about one story: Rip Van Winkle's story. It is a mysterious story. The story takes place in the Catskill Mountains in 1765.

The story is about a man called Rip Van Winkle. Everyone in his village loves him, but he has a problem: he doesn't like working. One day he goes to the Catskill Mountains and he wakes up a lot of years later.

The characters are Rip Van Winkle (a friendly and helpful man), his family and his friends.

The vocabulary of the book was very easy for me. In my opinion the book was very small and it wasn't interesting. The characters were a little boring.

By Ana Gutiérrez Osuna

This book has got two stories. The name of the first story is Rip Van Winkle. The genre of the book is mystery and magic. The story takes place in the Ctaskill Mountains. The story happens in 1765. It is the story of a man that disappears for twenty years.

The characters are Rip Van Winkle, the strange man and Judith Gardiner. The relationship of the characters is this: Judith Gardiner is Rip Van Winkle's daughter.

The language of the book isn't difficult. I like the book because there is mystery and magic. I like Rip Van Winkle. I don't like the strange man because he doesn't talk.

By Miguel Ángel Conde Úbeda

In the book there are two stories. The name of this story is Rip Van Winkle. The genre of this story is legend. The story takes place in the Catskill Mountains. Rip Van Winkle lives in a village at the foot of the Catskill Mountains. He hears a voice. Rip sees and old man. Who is this man?

In the story there are three characters. My favourite character is Rip Van Winkle.

The language of the book is English and I learnt some words: toward, scare, bizarre, captain, strange, friendly.

I don't like the story because it isn't fantasy and it is very sad. I like Rip because he is the main character.

By Alba Catalán Baena.

In the book there are two stories. The name of this story is Rip Van Winkle. The genre of the book is fantasy. The story takes place in the 1700's. Thew story talks about a man that is married to a bad woman, they have two children and a dog. One day he goes to the mountain, when he comes back he sees a strange mn that says to Rip: "Drink". Rip drinks and after that he sleeps. When he wakes up fifty years are passed.

There are two important characters, Rip and his child. Rip likes drinking and sleeping but not working. Rip's child likes seeing his father. They are a family.

I find the language of the book easy. There aren't expressions that I don't know. I like the book because it is very well written and there is no fantasy story but it is funny. The character I like is Rip because he is a poor man with bad luck. The character I don't like is Rip's wife, because she is a bad person.

By Cayetano Gil Valdellós

The bookhas two stories. The name of this story is Rip Van Winkle. It is a legend. The story takes place in 1765.

Rip Van Winkle is a man. He has a wife. He finds a man in the Catskill Mountains. The next morning he cannot find the man. He is very hungry and decides to go home. He finfs a man and he goes to the inn. In the Union Hotel the people think he is a spy. Twenty years ago he went away and he never returned and he decided to live with his daughter and he is very happy.

In the story there are a lot of characters. Here are some of them: Rip Van Winkle (he is Judith Gardiner's father), the old men (Rip finds them), Judith Gardiner (she is Rip Van Winkle's daughter).

The language is normal, I understand all. I like the story because it is a good book. My favourite character is Rip because he is very adventurous. I like all characters because they are good people.

By Jaime Casado Sánchez

Rip Van Winkle lives in the Catskill Mountains. One day he goes walking up the mountains and there he meets a stranger who leads him to a place. In this place there are many people. There he drinks and sleeps. When he wakes up and returns to the village everything has changed. When he wakes up many years have passed.

By Jesús Castaño Durán

This book has got two stories. The name of the first story is Rip Van Winkle and the second is 0. The genre of the book is a mystery, humour and magic novel. The story takes place in the Catskill Mountains. The story happens in 1765. The man sleeps for twenty years in the amphitheatre.

The characters of the story are Rip Van Winkle (a kind man), the strange man (he is short, square and old). Judith Gardiner is Rip Van Winkle's daughter.

The language of the book is easy but there is a lot of new vocabulary. I like the book because it is of mystery. My favourite character is Rip for his story. The character I don't like is Rip's wife because she is always angry.

By Maite Eseverri Zarzuelo

This book has got two stories. The name of the first story is Rip Van Winkle. The genre of the story is mystery, humour and magic novel. The story happens in 1765. This story is about a man that sleeps for twenty years.

Rip Van Winkle is a simple kind man. The strange man is short, squeare and old. He has a long white beard. Judith Gardiner is Rip Van Winkle's daughter.

The language is easy but there is a lot of new vocabulary. I like the book because it is very interesting. Rip Van Winkle is my favourite character because he is a good man. I don't like the strange man because he is very serious.

By Aitor Márquez Aguilar

This book has got two stories. The name of the first story is Rip Van Winkle. The genre of the book is mystery and magic. The story takes place in the Catskill Mountains. The story happens in 1765. It is the story of a man that disappears for twenty years.

The characters are Rip Van Winkle, the strange man and Judith Gardiner. The relationship of the characters is: Judith Gardiner is Rip Van Winkle's daughter.

The language of the book isn't difficult. I like the book because it is of mystery and magic. I like Rip Van Winkle. I don't like the strange man because he doesn't talk.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

As you know, we have been working on neighbourhoods and towns. Now we can name different places in our streets, and of course we can ask for and give directions.Listen to this rap titled The Directions Rap and write comments answering the following questions:a. How many speakers are there? What kind of a problem has one of them?b. How many different places in town can you hear? Write them.c. These are four sentences from the rap, but the words are not well arranged. Can you order them?1. me ? can Please you help2. the is museum Where please?3. find pool can't I the swimming4. the Where zoo ? is

Monday, May 5, 2008

You know that these days we have been working on food and healthy diet. Here you are the food pyramid we have seen in class. I hope you take it into account and put the pieces of advice given in class ("should / shouldn't") into practice. You will go on working on this topic in your Physical Education lessons, so don't forget it!

You can click here if you want to play a game called Mission Nutrition. Follow the instructions . . . and good luck!

Monday, April 28, 2008

Here is Anabel's request: a video of a song titled "No Ordinary Girl" with the lyrics included. I think it belongs to a TV series ("H2O, Just Add Water"). I have never seen it, so I have no idea what it is about. Can you tell me? Please, send comments if you have ever seen it.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

These days we are going to begin reading Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. First of all, we will concentrate on the first story: Rip Van Winkle.

It takes place in the British colony of New York (America) before the Revolution War (1775-1783). There were 13 colonies in North America and they rebelled against British rule because they wanted to be independent. If you click here you will see the map with these colonies and you will have access to some information about each colony.

The American Revolutionary War (also called the War of Independence) gave way to the formation of the United Sates of America (USA). This is what Americans celebrate on Independence Day (4th July) with parades, fireworks and family fun.

The main character, Rip Van Winkle, lives very near the Catskill Mountains of New York and the Hudson River, a beautiful place about which people tell many legends and stories. Are you ready to read one of them?

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

On 23 April we celebrate Book Day and Copyright Day. But do you know why? This day is the anniversary of the death of three important authors around the world: William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. All of them died on 23 April 1616 (although there are some days of difference because some countries followed the Julian calendar and others the Gregorian one). That is the reason why UNESCO chose this day to encourage people to enjoy reading.In our school we have celebrated it by inventing, reading and acting out some poems and compositions on spring time in the three languages we can speak: Spanish, English and French. You did a really good job! I hope you had a good time . . . and I wish you will never stop reading!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Here you are the lyrics of an English madrigal by Thomas Morley titled Now is the Month of Maying. It dates from the end of the 16th century. In your next Music classes you will work with it. Remember! We are celebrating spring time!Now is the month of mayingWhen merry lads are playingEach with his bonny lassUpon the greeny grassThe spring, clad all in galdnessDoth laugh at winter's sadnessAnd to the bagpipe's soundThe nymphs tread out their groundFie then! Why sit we musingYouth's sweer delight refusing?Say, dainty nymphs, and speak, Shall we play barley-break?Here you can listen to the song and see beautiful English landscapes. Enjoy the madrigal!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Here you can find interesting activities to review what we have learned in class:In this website you'll find a list with useful expressions for giving directions and managing yourself around town. If you click here you can listen to dialogues asking for directions. Here you can listen to another dialogue as you read it. Now you are ready to listen to some sentences (click here) and look at a map and say if these sentences are true or false . . . if you need it, you can read the tapescript!And in this website you can play hangman.Have fun . . . and learn many things!

These are some of your reports on our reader for the second term Great Expectations. They are quite good!

I am going to talk about one story: Pip’s story. It is a drama story. The story takes place in London, United Kingdom. The story happens in the 19th century.

The story is about a boy that wants to be a gentleman because he loves a lady called Estella. But he is poor and one day one person gives money to him.

The characters of the book are Pip, a poor and kind boy, Estella, Biddy, Miss Havisham, Joe, Bentley Drummle, Mr. Jaggers, Wemmick, Abel Magwitch and Herbert.

The vocabulary of the book was very easy for me but the story was a little boring.

My favourite character was Estella because she is a fine lady, but I like the other characters too.

By Ana Gutiérrez Osuna

In the book there are ten chapters and one story. The genre of the book is narrative. The story takes place in London in the 19th century. The story is about a man that is poor and he falls in love with a woman, but she doesn’t love him because he is poor. When he is rich he wants to marry her but she is in love with another man.

The characters in the story are Joe, Biddy, Pip, Estella, Miss Havisham, Mr. Drummle, etc. The relationships between the main characters are: friends, fathers, mothers, enemies and boyfriends.

I find the language of the book medium. I like the story because it is an interesting book. The character I liked is Joe, because he helps Pip though he behaves badly with Joe. The character I didn’t like is Estella, because she is very capricious and conceited and she has no heart.

By Cayetano Gil Valdellós

The book has one story and ten chapters. It is a novel in English. Pip is a young boy. He has no mother or father, he lives with his sister. Pip helps a prisoner and years later he has a benefactor, but he doesn’t know who he is.

In the story there are ten characters and I like four characters. They are friends.

I like the story because it is interesting. I like Estella because she is a good person. I don’t like Abel Magwitch because he is a prisoner.

By Jennifer Murillo Montalbán

In the book there is one story. It is a novel. The story happens in the marshes near the great River Thames. This story is about a boy. He has a sister and a brother-in-law. He is very poor but he has a benefactor, and he turns into a fine gentleman and he wants to marry a girl.

In the story there are ten characters. Pip hasn’t got mother or father. Estella is very beautiful, she hasn’t father or mother, so she lives with Miss Havisham. Biddy lives in the same village as Pip. Joe is a blacksmith, his wife is Pip’s sister, so he looks after Pip. Miss Havisham is an old lady, she hates men. Bentley Drummle is rich and handsome. Mr. Jaggers is a lawyer, he works for rich people. Wemmick helps Mr. Jaggers. Abel Magwitch is a prisoner. Herbert is Pip’s friend.

I don’t like this book because it is very boring. Pip is my favourite character because he is humble. Drummle isn’t my favourite character because he is a rascal.

By Jesús Martínez Mestre

Great Expectations has got one story and is a novel. The story takes place in England, in the marshes in a village in Kent. It is written by Charles Dickens.

Great Expectations is about the poor boy called Pip. He hasn’t mother or father. He lives with his sister and her husband called Joe. His sister is bad-tempered. Estella is very beautiful. She has no father or mother, so she lives with Miss Havisham. She is an old lady and she hates men! Joe is the blacksmith. His wife is Pip’s sister, so he looks after Pip. Bentley Drummle is rich and handsome. Mr. Jaggers is a lawyer, he works for rich people. Wemmick helps Mr. Jaggers. Herbert is a student, he is Pip’s friend. Abel Magwitch is a prisoner.

The book is interesting and I have learned vocabulary. My favourite character is Pip because he likes friendship. I don’t like Miss Havisham because she is a bad person.

By Lorena López Gómez

Great Expectations is a novel that happened in England a long time ago. It is about a blacksmith boy called Pip. He looks for a beautiful girl, Estella. He wants to marry her. But she doesn’t like him because he is poor. She remembers his dirty boots.

The characters are Pip (he hasn’t got father or mother, so she lives with her sister), Estella (she lives with Miss Havisham), Biddy (she lives in the same village as Pip), Miss Havisham (she hates men), Joe (Pip’s sister’s husband), Bentley Drummle (he is handsome and rich), Mr. Jaggers (he is a lawyer), Mr. Wemmick (he helps Mr. Jaggers), Abel Magwitch (he is a prisoner) and Herbert (he is Pip’s friend).

The book is very good because there are words explained at the end of the pages and you don’t know what the characters are going to do. I like Pip because he is a good person. I don’t like Miss Havisham because she is selfish.

By Lucas Giráldez Torres

The book has one story and ten chapters. It is a novel. It takes place in the marshes. The story happens in the 19th century. The story is about Pip, a poor young boy. He receives amazing news. Someone has given him a large amount of money and wants to make him a gentleman. He has no mother or father and he lives near the marshes.

The characters of the story are: Pip, Estella, Biddy, Joe, Miss Havisham, Bentley Drummle, Mr Jaggers, Wemmick, Abel Magwitch and Herbert. I like Joe. The main character is Pip.

The language of the book is normal. I like the book, it is entertaining. I like Joe because he is a good person. I don't like Miss Havisham because she says nonsense.

By Jaime casado Sánchez

Pip is a boy. He has no mother or father. He lives with his sister and her husband, Joe. One day he knows Miss Havisham and Estella. Pip loves Estella, but she doesn't love him: she hasn't a heart. Someone gives him a lot of money and he learns to be a gentleman. He wants to marry Estella but she doesn't love him and pip leaves London.

Miss Havisham dies and he finds that his benefactor is the prisoner that he helped, Abel Magwitch. But Magwitch dies in London and Pip goes back to the country. Pip begins to think about Estella but she is married and Pip leaves England. After eleven years he sees Estella again in the garden of the house of Miss Havisham. Her hisband is dead and they begin to be friends.

By Miguel Ángel Conde Úbeda

In the book Great Expectations there is only one story about a poor young boy who lives with his sister. His name is Pip. It is a dramatic story and it takes place in England in the 19th century. There are ten characters in the story: Pip, Estella, Biddy, Miss Havisham, Joe, Bentley, Mr Jaggers, Wemmick, Abel Magwitch and Herbert. The relationships of the characters are fathers, mothers, boyfriends, friends and enemies.

The language of the book is very easy. I don't like the book because it is a novel and I don't like novels. My favourite character is Pip because he is very brave and the charactre I don't like is Pip's sister because she is always angry.

Hello! I am Fernando Alonso,Paula Maria's parakeet. I am nice, loving and noisy when I see Paula María or Alvaro José (Paula María's brother). I am blue and white with yellow spots under the chin, because I am Fernando Alonso, the driver of Formula One (because my owner loves F. Alonso). I love parakeets' food, cold water and lettuce. I weigh 80 g and I am 10 cm when I crane my neck, je je.

In the picture on the left I was a baby. In the picture on the right I am an adult.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Since we are preparing our spring poems to celebrate Book Day on April 23, here you are the lyrics and video of a spring song taken from Disney's Bambi. I hope you like it!

Let's sing a gay little spring songThis is the season to singSo I'd like to suggestThat we all do our bestAnd warble a song about springSpring, spring, springLet's get together and sing.Let's sing a gay little spring songJust like the bird on the wingThings always seen rightWhen you're chipper and brightSo let's get together and singSing, sing, singLet's sing a song about spring.Let's twitter and tweetLike the birdies in MayGet into the moodAnd be merry todayForget all your troubles and warble awayDo, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, doOh!Let's sing a gay little spring songMusic's a wonderful thingCome on and rejoiceAt the top of your voiceOh, let's sing a song about springSpring, spring, springLet's get together and sing.Let's sing a gay little spring songThis is the season to sing.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

World Health Day (7 April) marks the origin of the World Health Organization. The intention is to attract attention to global health every year. This year World Health Day concentrates on the need to protect health from the bad effects of climate change.

This is a very important topic because there are a lot of threats to public health. Take this day to think about world health. What can you do to help? Please, write comments saying what we can do to protect the world's health.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

What is spring for you? For me, spring produces fantastic and very beautiful sensations because the flowers, the beautiful plants and the people (I think) are much nicer and more loving. I love spring, but I love summer, winter and autumn too. IT IS TRUE, SPRING IS FANTASTIC!By Paula María Chía de la RosaLet's listen to Megan reading Paula's text!

Great Expectations is a novel written by Charles Dickens. It tells a story that takes place in the marshes, in London, in the river Thames, and other places in England.

It is about a boy called Pip. He has no mother or father and he lives with his sister and with his brother-in-law. He is in love with Estella, but he is poor and she wants to marry a gentleman. She marries a bad man.

Pip helps a prisoner (Abbel Magwitch) and the prisoner gives him money to be a gentleman. When Pip knows the name of his benefactor he doesn’t want the money. At the end Pip goes with Estella and they live together.

The language of the book is easy but it had a lot of new vocabulary. My favourite character is Abbel Magwitch because he is a good person. I don’t like Estella because she is very cold.

Monday, March 31, 2008

April Fool's Day, or All Fools' Day, is the first day of April. It is a traditional day for playing pranks on unsuspecting people. In many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, people play tricks on others. A favourite joke is to send someone on a fool's errand (a search for something that does not exist), or to get people to believe ridiculous things. The victim is called an April Fool.

No one knows where the April Fools' custom began. The origin is uncertain but may be related to the arrival of spring in late March, when nature "fools" humanity with changes in weather. Another explanation has to do with the change to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, which moved New Year's Day to January 1.

The tradition originated in France and Great Britain and it was introduced into America in colonial times.

The French call April 1 "Poisson d'Avril" or "April Fish". French children sometimes stick a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered.